A Moment In Time
by Elvenqueen Sarah
Summary: Written pre-release of OoTP. James and Lily go looking for Harry's birthday present in the most unlikely of places - a muggle store. Little do they realise that this decision will result in Harry receiving the best present he could wish for many years in the future. (A little lighthearted fun)


**Author's Note: **This is the 6th Harry Potter fanfic I wrote and it was the last one I wrote before the 5th book was released. My younger siblings needed another dose of HP before the next "real" installment came out.

I have written 11 stories in total for Harry Potter throughout the years and am only now posting them for the first time online. I hope you will enjoy reading them.

**A Moment In Time**

"**A kind face is a beautiful face and a gift with a kind countenance is a double present." - M Tupper**

'James, what about this one?'

Lily Potter stopped in front of a large muggle toy store. Her husband, pushing a one year old Harry in a pram, halted and looked at the store.

'Looks promising, won't hurt to look.' And turning the pram he headed for the door.

Entering the store they both stopped and looked around.

'Where should we look first?' James asked.

'Well, Sirius suggested something that moves quickly. He says Harry's very good at following moving objects. He told me that the other day he was watching Harry when he was playing in the yard. Apparently, a bee started flying around and Harry kept following it with his eyes until it disappeared.'

James laughed. 'So our little one is a Seeker is he?' He glanced at his son with affection. 'Well Mrs Potter, we will have to nurture this talent don't you agree?' Turning he smiled at Lily whose beautiful green eyes sparkled back at him.

'Certainly Mr Potter, I only hope that his daddy and Uncle Sirius will not encourage him to play tricks on other players, like I remember them doing.'

'Oh, which ones were they?' asked James innocently, his hazel eyes twinkling.

'You know which ones James,' Lily laughed. 'There was that time when you did that wronky-thingy to that Slytherin boy. What's his name?'

'Severus Snape and it's called the Wronski Feint, Lily and it's entirely legal to do that in a quidditch match.'

'I know but then you and Sirius started laughing so hard you nearly fell off your broomsticks when he hit the ground.'

'Yes, well,' James grinned slightly at the memory, 'Snape had a way of annoying Sirius and myself to the extent that whenever the chance came to laugh at him we took it.'

Lily's mouth twitched and after a moment she burst out laughing.

'Oh James, you and Sirius are incorrigible. I dread to think of what Harry will be like if you two are responsible for raising him.' Then turning she picked Harry up from the pram and held him close, her face now sad and her eyes filled with pain.

'Do you think Harry will ever know peace James? Voldemort is getting stronger every day. Sirius said Dumbledore was getting worried about us and wants us to do some sort of secret keeper charm so Voldemort can't find us. Do you think Harry will ever know what it is like to feel secure and know he is safe from danger?'

James walked over and pulled her and Harry into his arms. For a minute he didn't speak and when he did his voice was gentle.

'Lily, no matter what happens I do believe that he will, for I know that Dumbledore would ensure that he was safe from Voldemort just as I also know that Sirius would risk his very life to keep Harry safe. They both love Harry as we do, so despite everything that happens Harry will know that.'

James bent down and kissed her gently.

'Now, we need to find this special little one a birthday present,' he said, his voice now forcibly light. Lily smiled and nodded.

'How about if I take Harry over to the playpen over there,' she pointed to a section where young children were playing while being watched by their parents. 'That way you could look around and see what there is.'

'All right.' After handing her the pram James turned and walked in the direction of a man demonstrating a flying model plane.

'Men,' muttered Lily as she watched him. 'Nothing but overgrown boys, isn't that right Harry?' She looked at Harry who smiled up at her, his green eyes, that were so like hers, shining. Lily bent and kissed him gently on the forehead, and then grabbing hold of the pram she headed towards the playpen.

Upon reaching it she saw five other children playing inside. One was a little girl who looked about Harry's age. She was sitting in a corner and was chewing on a plastic book that had pictures of little bears on it. A woman who must have been her mother walked over and pulled the book from her mouth.

'No Hermione,' she said, 'dirty.' She pulled out a handkerchief and wiped the girl's mouth.

Lily opened the gate and walked in carrying Harry. The woman looked up and seeing Harry exclaimed, 'oh, isn't he adorable. What lovely colour eyes he has.'

Lily smiled and then turning to look at the little girl she asked, 'is she yours?'

The lady nodded.

'Yes, her name's Hermione and I'm Adelaide Granger.' She held out her hand. Lily shook it and introduced herself. 'And this little fellow is Harry.'

Mrs Granger reached out a hand and gently touched his head.

'How do you do Harry?'

Harry smiled at her, his small hand grasping his mother's blouse.

'Would you like to sit down?' Mrs Granger asked, pointing towards some seats.

Lily sighed in relief. 'Oh, yes thank you.' She placed Harry on the ground next to Hermione and sank down into a chair thankfully. 'My husband and I have been walking around all morning trying to find Harry a birthday present.'

Mrs Granger laughed.

'That sounds exhausting. Luckily we don't have to do that until September.'

They both looked over to where Harry was now happily pushing a tonka truck around while Hermione was waving the plastic book and making incomprehensible noises but which sounded happy. Both women laughed.

'I think my daughter is going to be a bookworm,' Mrs Granger chuckled. 'She always holds onto a book if there is one lying around.'

Lily giggled as Harry, losing interest in the truck, started looking around for something else to play with.

At that moment a man approached who must have been Mrs Granger's husband as he called her over to him and said he had been called back to the surgery and would she mind waiting for another half hour.

While Mrs Granger went and talked to him, Lily continued to watch the two children. As she watched another child, about three or four years old walked up and seeing Hermione with the book grabbed it and pulled it away from her.

Before Lily could do anything a toy truck flew across from where Harry was sitting and hit the child then the book was flying back to Hermione's outstretched hand. The other child immediately began to cry in pain and frustration.

A woman turned from a conversation with a salesperson and came across, pulled him by the hand and told him sharply to stop crying. As Lily looked back she saw Harry smiling at Hermione, the tonka truck once again in his hand, and Hermione waving the book around.

Lily looking at Hermione began to wonder whether it had just been Harry who was responsible for the child getting hit by the truck and the book being sent back to Hermione.

Turning her head as Mrs Granger sat back down, Lily answered her question regarding the child crying by saying she thought one of the older children had thrown something at him. Mrs Granger appeared to accept the explanation and then asked Lily if she had any other children.

Before Lily could answer a photographer came up and asked would it be all right to take some pictures as he was promoting a new brand of instant camera. Looking surprised, both mothers agreed.

After taking some shots of the two mothers, the photographer took some of Harry and Hermione and then some of Lily and Mrs Granger holding their child on their lap.

As the photographer was showing them the finished photos James walked up, a model plane under his arm.

'James.' Lily looked at the plane. 'Isn't that rather advanced for Harry?' she enquired, her mouth twitching.

'I thought he would like to watch it,' James replied, his face slightly red.

Lily turned to Mrs Granger who was smiling.

'They never grow up do they?' Lily said to Mrs Granger who shook her head, laughing as James put down the plane and took Harry from Lily's arms.

'You'd like a model plane wouldn't you Harry?' he asked. Harry chortled happily as his father tickled his stomach and grabbed a handful of his father's dark hair.

Unbeknownst to any of them the photographer had taken his camera and was snapping more shots of them all, especially of Harry and James.

After Lily had detached Harry's hand from James' hair the photographer walked forwards and showed them the photos he had taken.

'These are very good,' Lily exclaimed, looking through the pile of photos and showed them to Mrs Granger who agreed.

'When is the camera available to buy?' she asked the photographer.

'Next week,' he replied, obviously pleased he had given a good demonstration of the cameras abilities.

'I'll definitely have to get one,' Mrs Granger said. She looked at the photos again and then turned to Lily and suggested they share the photos, each getting half. Lily agreed and when they reached the photos of Harry and James, Lily told her to take some as well.

'For we have so many photos of Harry at home,' she said.

After taking four of the photos Mrs Granger took out a pen and turned one of the group photos over and wrote all their names on the back. As she finished she looked up and smiled at James, Lily and then at Harry who was pulling at a ribbon in Hermione's hair.

'I'll certainly never forget this adorable little boy.' Reaching out she put a hand on Harry's cheek. He smiled cheerfully up at her.

xxxxxxxxxxx

Fourteen years later Hermione Granger opened a package from her mother.

Looking inside she saw a pile of photos and a letter. Pulling them out she opened the letter and started to read it.

**Dear Hermione**

** While cleaning out one of the boxes in the attic I found these photos inside an old album. Seeing them I remembered that your friend's name is Harry Potter, the same as the little boy in these photos. I thought you might like to show them to him and ask if it is him. I hope so, for it would be so good to know that the child grew up to be such a nice boy, for he always says hello at the train station when we pick you up.**

** I hope you're well and studying hard – though I hardly doubt that. I shall see you at the end of term. **

**Take care of yourself.**

** Love Mum**

Hermione looked at the photos and her breath caught on a gasp.

It _was_ Harry. She had seen the photo of him and his parents in his photo album. In the photo in front of her he was holding onto his father's hair, laughing and in the foreground a very pretty woman with dark red hair was smiling up at them; Harry's mother.

Hermione swallowed a lump in her throat and looked at the other photos. Some were of her and Harry, some of Harry's mum and hers holding them and others had Harry's dad in them.

Hermione leapt up from her chair and flew across the Gryffindor common room and ran down to the Great Hall, still clutching the photos and the letter.

Running into the hall she spied Harry and Ron up the other end near the teacher's table. Hermione ran down the aisle, stopping quickly when she reached them.

Many of the teachers had looked up astonished when they had heard her hurrying up the hall and they were even more shocked when after Hermione had said something to Harry he stood up quickly, crying, 'what?' as he turned and looked at the photos in Hermione's hand.

Other students who had looked up saw him go pale and only those nearest to him saw the sheen of tears in his eyes as he looked through the pile of photos.

Then before anyone knew what he was going to do he had pulled Hermione into a huge hug and was smiling as though she had given him the greatest gift in the world.

Pulling away he looked at her and whispered, 'thanks Hermione.'

Smiling she turned to Ron who was still sitting, his mouth half open, full of the bacon and eggs which he had forgotten to swallow.

'Come on Ron,' she said and she pulled him up.

Turning the three walked out of the hall, oblivious to the fact that everyone was now wondering what had happened.

Harry, walking slightly ahead of the other two, was concentrating so intently on studying the photos that he failed to see the two teachers ahead of him.

The next thing he knew he had walked straight into someone and was stumbling backwards to the ground. Looking up he saw Professor Snape glaring down at him.

'Sorry Professor,' Harry said absentmindedly, his mind still on the pictures of his parents.

'Watch where you're going Potter,' Snape snapped.

Professor McGonagall, peering around Snape, looked on as Ron and Hermione helped Harry to his feet. 'Are you all right, Potter?' she asked.

'What?' Harry looked up from his study of the photos to look at her.

'Potter what is the matter?' McGonagall looked at his hands and saw the photos and whom they were of. 'Oh.' For a moment her face softened and she smiled gently down at Harry.

'Your parents always looked good in photos,' she smiled.

Harry nodded and then as McGongall told them they could continue walking on, smiled at both teachers, even though Snape was still glaring at him.

Entering the common room they found Fred and George who were setting off a crate of Filibuster Fireworks. Harry, Ron and Hermione seeing a safe path ran across the room and up the stairs, followed closely by a firecracker just set off by Fred. Racing into Harry and Ron's room the three hurriedly shut the door.

'Filch is going to skin them alive,' Ron panted, leaning against the door.

Harry and Hermione nodded, still trying to catch their breath.

Walking towards his bed Harry looked at the photos again. Sitting down he gazed at them longingly.

Ron and Hermione walked slowly over and sat down beside him. Looking at Harry's face Hermione put a hand gently on his arm.

'Harry,' she said quietly, 'I want you to have them. I know how much you want more pictures of your parents. I'm only sorry that they're not wizard photos.'

Harry turned and faced her, his eyes bright.

'Hermione, even if they were I could not appreciate them more. I can never thank you enough, or your mother for sending them to you.' Reaching out an arm he held her close to him for a moment. Pulling away he sifted through the photos and pulled one out. Handing it to her he said, 'I want you to have this one Hermione.'

Hermione looked at the photo in his hand.

Harry, being held by his smiling father, was grinning at Mrs Granger and Lily, who were laughing as Hermione was reaching out and grabbing a hold of Harry's foot, whilst clutching the plastic book. Glancing up, Hermione smiled at Harry who grinned back.

'You haven't changed Hermione,' he said. 'You still carry books around wherever you go.'

'And you still have the same uncontrollable black hair,' she retorted laughing.

Ron looked at both of them, his face starting to crease in a wide smile.

'You two will never change,' he said mock seriously. 'Hermione will always be a bookworm and Harry will always have scruffy hair. But me, I will always be good-looking and charming and...'

The rest of his speech was cut off as Harry and Hermione each grabbed the pillows off Harry's bed and whacked him over the head with them.

Ducking another blow from Harry, Ron scrambled over to his own bed, grabbed his pillow and soon a full-out pillow fight was being fought, the sounds of which were carried out of the open window and was heard by Professor Dumbledore as he sat at his desk.

Smiling, he picked up his quill and started to write his letter to Sirius who was waiting anxiously for news of Harry.

**DISCLAIMER:** I DO NOT OWN THE CHARACTERS MENTIONED IN THIS STORY. THEY BY RIGHT BELONG TO **J.K. ROWLING**, CREATOR OF THE HARRY POTTER SERIES. THE SITUATIONS MENTIONED, HOWEVER, ARE MY OWN IDEAS. I AM NOT MAKING ANY PROFIT OUT OF THIS STORY.


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